Introduction
To get the most from your browser, you need to configure it to handle the different types of files used on the web. Plug-ins and helper applications are two different ways to view these files. Plug-ins are special programs designed to work with Netscape to view documents in the browser. Plug-ins are usually easier to setup and to use. Helper applications can be any program on your computer. When Netscape recieves a file that requires a helper application it will open this application and then load the file. This is a bit more complex to setup and use than a Plug-in, but it may be used with any program on your computer. For example, Netscape does not know how to display a Lotus 123 spreadsheet file. If you are browsing the web and come across a Lotus 123 spreadsheet file, what do you do? Set up a Lotus 123 as a helper application. By correctly configuring your browser, it will open Lotus 123 and load the *.wk4 file into Lotus. Then you use the spreadsheet, just like any other file on your computer.
Because chemical information is relatively complex, I use many different programs to develop teaching material. These files may be viewed using freeware helper applications, but first you must load the applications on your computer and configure your browser.
More detailed information
about Plug-in's,
and Helper Applications (setup,
about)
is available from Netscape.
This page is maintained by
Scott Van Bramer
Department of Chemistry
Widener University
Chester, PA 19013
Please send any comments, corrections, or suggestions to
svanbram@science.widener.edu.
This page has been accessed
times since 1/5 /96 .
Last Updated 1/5/96